KPMG & Microsoft expand AI & cybersecurity training in Canada

KPMG in Canada and Microsoft Canada have jointly expanded the Operational Risk Skills Development Centre to offer executive training in generative AI and cybersecurity across Canada.

The expanded Centre now provides a comprehensive English-language curriculum, including a new Copilot for Microsoft 365 training programme aimed at C-suite executives and board directors. Copilot, a generative AI tool embedded within Microsoft 365 applications, has been developed to assist users in content creation, managing communications and automating routine administrative tasks.

Walter Pela, AI Client and Market Development Lead at KPMG in Canada and Regional Managing Partner for the Greater Vancouver Area, emphasised the importance of preparing businesses for the complexities of emerging technologies.

"We are committed to helping organizations navigate the complexities of generative AI, and the first step in adopting this transformative technology begins with education. Our executive training centre co-developed with Microsoft Canada empowers business leaders by providing them with the skills they need to know to navigate generative AI with confidence while mitigating the risks of this powerful technology,"

said Pela.

The Centre's training model accommodates self-paced learning and features modules tailored specifically for business leadership, such as C-Suite executives and board members. In addition to generative AI education, the curriculum offers cybersecurity training that targets the needs of leaders in small and medium-sized businesses.

The newly launched Copilot training programme provides foundational instruction in the use of generative AI for a broad range of professional groups and industry sectors, including finance, legal, IT, and administrative roles. This initiative seeks to develop practical AI and cybersecurity skills relevant to real-world business applications.

The programme's first phase began in Quebec in November 2023, where French-language modules were made available. The second phase, which marks the nationwide rollout of the Centre, expands access to English-language training modules and practical guides across the country.

John Weigelt, National Technology Officer at Microsoft Canada, noted that the expansion offers new opportunities to businesses throughout Canada.

"Generative AI represents a significant opportunity and with the expansion of the Operational Risk Skills Development Centre's curriculum to business leaders across Canada, we are helping Canadian organizations realize the full potential of AI. Whether you're the leader of a marketing agency in B.C., a furniture retailer in Manitoba or a transportation and logistics company in Newfoundland, generative AI is a technology that can help boost your organization's productivity and competitiveness."

In addition to executive and industry-focused modules, the Centre provides hands-on instruction sessions at no cost to participants, aiming to increase accessibility to essential digital skills.

The Centre's expansion has included the delivery of training and educational resources to organisations representing a range of sectors, with the intention of fostering awareness and practical competence in both AI-powered applications and digital risk management. Included attendees in recent sessions have encompassed business leaders, technology specialists, and representatives from academia and the public sector.

Both KPMG in Canada and Microsoft Canada state that the initiative responds to increasing demand for practical knowledge about harnessing artificial intelligence in business, as well as the necessity of understanding associated cybersecurity risks.